Bihar's Gen Z Jan

Will young voters rewrite Bihar's political grammar or reaffirm its old hierarchies in the assembly election?

- Ravi Ranjan

THE Election Commission of India has announced a two-phased Bihar assembly election, to be held on November 6 and 11, 2025. The announcement follows weeks of political wrangling and legal disputes among major political parties, a prelude to what promises to be one of Bihar's most fiercely contested polls in recent years. What's new this time is the heightened focus on the youth vote, particularly the Gen Z—a demographic that is increasingly shaping the political narratives not only through ballots, but through social media, protests, and public discourse. Unlike previous elections, the 2025 contest is witnessing a pronounced emphasis on the Gen Z cohort (born roughly between 1997 and 2012). The post-pandemic political context, rising digital engagement, and visible disenchantment, which the conventional political leadership has together positioned Bihar’s young electorate as a critical constituency capable of influencing electoral outcomes.

The upcoming Bihar assembly election of 2025 marks a crucial juncture in the state's political trajectory—with nearly 58 per cent of Bihar's population under the age of 25—this demographic cohort possesses both numerical and ideological potential to reshape political narratives traditionally dominated by caste and patronage-based politics. The Gen Z voters are characterised by their aspirational outlook, technological engagement, and growing political consciousness. They are influencing party strategies, campaign rhetoric, and the grammar of governance. Recent democratic crises across South Asia, such as the political turmoil in Nepal, have underscored the transformative potential of youth-driven mobilisations. The message resonating across borders is that democratic legitimacy increasingly depends on the inclusion, participation, and trust of younger citizens.

The Demographic Dividend and the Electoral Worth of Gen Z